Eternal Conflict
by Teefa and Co
Summary: 10 yrs. after TBSJFHEDHS. Irv and Alley's pranks go to far when they land themselves and Annie halfway across the world. As they try to get home, they are thrown into a civil war between an alien race. Irv/Annie, Alley/Rex, Kanon/surprise. COMPLETE
1. Irv & Alley's Grand Prank

Irv & Alley's Grand Prank  
  
It was a beautiful day in Meria. The sun was shining down on the inhabitants, and spring was in the air. This was the perfect day to be outdoors.  
  
Ashley was sitting outside, shining his bayonet, when he head someone call his name. The former field commander of ARMS turned to see a young girl running up to him. She was about fifteen years old, with black hair cut short in the back, with some tresses hanging down in the front. Her right eye was purple, and a leather patch covered her left one. Her sleeveless dress was plain and brown, and she had a leather cape hung around her shoulders. The boots on her feet were maroon and tan, and she had only one real arm. Her left arm, cut off many years ago, had been replaced by cybernetics.  
  
"Oh Annie," Ashley said, "I didn't expect to see you today."  
  
"Mom and I were in town, so we just decided to stop by. Hey, Uncle Ashley, where are Irv and Alley?" asked Annie.  
  
Ashley replied, "They're outside of town, hunting monsters. If you want, you can go look for them. I know you three get along so well."  
  
Annie turned and began to run for the fields outside of town. "Thanks Uncle Ashley." As Ashley watched the girl run off, Kanon came up to him and sat down.  
  
"What's up Kanon?" inquired Ashley, "How's the Merc trade been lately?"  
  
"The usual. But I feel something is wrong with the wind," Kanon told him.  
  
Ashley drew a blank. He asked her, "What do you mean? The wind feels just fine to me. How can the wind be bad?"  
  
Kanon sighed. "No, it's the scent that is being brought by the wind. The last time I smelt one like this, Demons invaded my hometown, killed my mother, and left me with the need for cybernetic implants to be able to live a semi-normal life. Something big is about to happen, or my name isn't Kanon."  
  
"But isn't your birth name Aisha?" wondered Ashley, "So technically. . ."  
  
"I'm talking about my new name, starting from the day those Demons attacked. I did away with my birth self long ago," Kanon reminded him.  
  
* * *  
  
Sixteen-year-old twins Irv and Alley were outside in the field, but they weren't precisely hunting monsters. They were, of course, killing any that came to them, but they had another project in mind. The twins stood inside the Hovercraft with a case of tools they had borrowed from their dad - - without his permission of course - - and were modifying it in some way.  
  
Irv looked up to wipe his fevered brow - - sweating after all this work in the heat. He still wore his brown hair in the same spiked cut he'd had as a kid - - the one that resembled Ashley's. The boy had on blue jeans, short black boots, and a black T-shirt. On the shirt was a picture of a green dragon's head with red eyes breathing fire. Above it was the word REX, while below it was the word RYU. It was the symbol of Rex Ryu, an up and coming rock star.  
  
He turned one blue eye to look at his brown-eyed sister. Alley had blue hair that flowed down past her shoulder, with a silver headband on top of her head. She was wearing black high-heeled shoes, and a short - - but not slutty - - black dress with Rex Ryu's symbol on it.  
  
Irv said, "This is going to be the best prank ever. When dad goes to turn on the engine to the Hovercraft, it'll go speeding across the whole world. Then, he'll have to go chase it down. And he'll never know who did it."  
  
Alley laughed. "But you know, our dad may be ignorant and idealistic, but he knows that we're reputed pranksters. Won't he turn his suspicions to us sooner or later?"  
  
"He can't prove it," Irv told her, "Even if he believes it was us, there's nothing to back it up. He'll be forced to drop it."  
  
"I guess you're right. This'll be the best ever!" Alley exclaimed.  
  
Suddenly, the twins heard a voice calling, "Hey Irv, Alley! How's it going guys? Can I help you fight the monsters."  
  
The twins turned to see Annie running up to them. As she ran, a group of Balloons tried to attack her. But Annie successfully defeated them with her Eagle Claw attack. She continued running until she arrived at the Hovercraft. Then she got inside it with her friends.  
  
Annie looked at them. "What are you guys doing? Uncle Ashley said you were hunting monsters. Are you working on another prank?"  
  
Irv and Alley sweatdropped. Annie had always been a bundle of energy as a child. But now that she was practically grown, she seemed to be even more energetic than usual. They both thought it came from spending her life on the road with her mom.  
  
"Oh, what's this?" asked Annie, "This button, I wonder what it does." Then, she touched a button on the console.  
  
Suddenly, the Hovercraft began to start up. The motor went out of control, just as Irv and Alley had predicted. But there was one flaw with this design. Since the three friends were inside of it at the time, they sped away with it as well.  
  
* * *  
  
About an hour later, Ashley and Kanon got worried and went to find the three teenagers. But when they arrived at the spot where the Hovercraft had been, they saw some of the discarded parts that Irv and Alley hadn't been able to dispose of yet. At once, Ashley knew what happened, and began to worry about them.  
  
- - - -  
  
Finally got to work on this. I intended this sequel to "The Babysitting Job From H E Double Hockey Sticks" to commemorate my one year anniversary on Fanfiction.net. This will be more action oriented than its prequel. It'll focus on the three teens finding an adventure, as well as Ashley and Kanon's quest to find them. 


	2. Halfway Round the World

Halfway Round the World  
  
"Ooooooooooooohhhhhhhh," groaned Annie as she awoke from unconsciousness, "Where in Raftina's name are we?"  
  
"I don't know, I guess we're in a forest," Irv commented.  
  
Alley muttered, "Great way of stating the obvious, brother dear. Any idiot can see that we're in the middle of a forest. But where is this forest in relation to Meria?"  
  
Suddenly, they heard the dry, crackling sound of someone walking through the grass around the forest. The three tensed, ready to fight if necessary to protect themselves. Irv and Alley brought out their ARMS, and Annie readied her dagger and bionic arm.  
  
The bushes behind the trio began to shake, indicating the direction their intruder was coming in. Alley brought up her Bayonet and aimed it towards the bushes. "If you don't come out right now, I'll shoot. That goes for my brother and friend too."  
  
"Ok, I'll come out," a voice replied, "I didn't mean to frighten you guys, I was just taking a walk through the forest."  
  
They all looked as a boy not much older than them came out of the bushes. He had on black pants with a silver belt, and no shirt, as well as leather boots and arm cuffs. His hair was green - - done up with three large spikes on top - - and his eyes were deep brown.  
  
"I'm sorry to have scared you, forgive me," the boy told them.  
  
Annie said, "Apology accepted. We're a little jumpy today. You see, we don't know where we are, or how to get home to Meria."  
  
The boy looked at her. "Meria, that's a long way away. I've never actually been there myself, but my father and uncle have been traveling since before I was born."  
  
"Oh Guardians, I can't believe it!" exclaimed Alley, "You're Rex Ryu, the musician! I'm a big fan of yours. Can you sign my autograph book?" She held out a small notebook, used to keep the autographs of famous people in. Already, she had all six principle warriors of ARMS, as well as Odessa and the Valerias - - she'd bugged them one day after they'd used their Day Passes to go on a little vacation, and just happened to run into Ashley and his family.  
  
As Rex signed the book, he told them about himself. He had been born in the town of Quartley, around the time of the Kuipier Belt. His mother had died during the Belt's occupation of the Filgaian sky, and he'd been left very sick. When that happened, his heartbroken father had went to great lengths to ensure his survival. In the end, both Rex's father and uncle traded something very precious for the boy's life. Not to long afterwards, he had come to live with his father in the forest south of Baskar, where his village was.  
  
"My father's people have been here several thousand years, since the days of the Great War, that left Filgaia the scarred planet that it is," Rex stated.  
  
Irv asked, "You can't mean the Blaze of Disaster, right? That was only a thousand years ago. But you claim it's been several thousand."  
  
Rex looked at him. "Three thousand years if you want to get technical. That was the day that the war between Filgaians and Hiadans occurred."  
  
"What's a Hiadan?" inquired Annie, "I've never heard of them."  
  
"They descended from the sky about three thousand years ago, after the death of their home planet. Their purpose on Filgaia was to find a new home, and they were willing to go to war with the humans in order to gain that home. Because their bodies were composed of living metal, they became known as the Metal Demons. The war lasted a long time, finally ending with the Guardian Blade destroying most of their forces, at the expense of devastating most of Filgaia. That is how this planet became one big wasteland," Rex replied.  
  
Alley said, "It sounds deep. But Rex, why did your father's people come to this forest in the first place? Weren't they helping with the war?"  
  
Rex lowered his head. "They were Hiadans who were against the war. None of them wanted to fight. All of them believed that Hiadans and Filgaians could live together in peace, and share the bountiful land. But the leaders of the race didn't share those ideals, and humans thought it was just a cleaver trick to destroy them. So the group decided to find a place far removed from the war. That's why the area around Baskar is so thick with vegetation, not only were the Baskar tribesmen naturalists, but father's people had fallen in love with the land as well."  
  
After about ten minutes of walking, they arrived at the village of Hiadas. Hiadan children looked on with interest at the young visitors that Rex had brought back with him. It made Annie feel like she was on the specimen table.  
  
"We'll go see my dad and uncle," stated Rex, "Maybe they can help you find your way back home to Meria."  
  
They entered a house. Inside, they saw a man with pale skin with a touch of gray to it. His hair was green and his eyes red. He wore what appeared to be a blue ninja suit with yellow lining, a yellow belt, and yellow cuffs. He had on leather boots, and a sword was strapped on his back.  
  
Sitting next to him was a man with silver hair and red eyes. His armor was completely black, with some gold outlining on the edges of the gloves and boots, as well as a golden belt, and a stripe across each hand of the glove and foot of the boot. Next to him, was a black helmet with gold lining the faceplate, and a silver boomerang.  
  
"Dad, Uncle Boomerang, I'm home. And look, I've got guests with me," Rex yelled.  
  
- - - -  
  
So, the infamous Boomerang and Zed make an appearance. Kind of connects the games a bit, which was what I was going for. We're going to hear more about what is going on with the Hiadans in the next chapter, and what our heroes will face. 


	3. Only Time

Only Time  
  
"Thank goodness no one was hurt," Rex's dad said, "What with the all of the fighting between the Rainians and Zeikians going on lately. . ."  
  
"Zed, maybe you should tell them what you mean by that. I can tell that our little visitors have no idea what is going on," Boomerang reminded him.  
  
Zed stated, "I'm assuming Rex told you the basic situation of what happened to our people in the past. You see, there are two groups of Hiadans in this world. One is the Ranians, that's us. We follow the belief that Filgaians and Hiadans can live in peace, set by Elder Rainie. We've not accepted the name Metal Demon, and instead use the original name of our race. The other group is the Zeikians, or followers of Zeikfried. They follow the belief of the ancient warlord who tried for Filgaia a second time about two thousand years ago, and wish to destroy all the humans in order to claim the land for their own. After that defeat, the survivors moved to an area near to our village, and built a fortress. Both our groups are at constant war with each other over the difference in beliefs. This has been going on and off again for nearly two millennia now."  
  
Boomerang looked over the teens. "You three should get out of here as soon as possible. Only time will tell when we're completely sucked up by war again. I've seen much bloodshed in my 2500 year life, and I've no desire to have you human children turn out like me, living from battle to battle, desiring nothing more than to kill."  
  
"Too late for me," Annie commented, "I've been like that ever since I was a child. Mom's an adventurer and an exorcist, so we're traveled around a lot, and been in many battles."  
  
"Wow! You've really lived 2500 years!" exclaimed Alley.  
  
Boomerang said, "Yes, we Hiadans are known for a magic that gives us immortal bodies, only dying if it is by disease or physical wounds. We've never suffered with growing old. But all of the Rainians don't have that gift anymore."  
  
Alley was speechless. "How come?"  
  
"You see," Zed answered, "Some time ago, Elder Rainie fell in love with a human girl. He then traded his immortality to save her from a curse put on her by the Zeikians. The curse was so strong, that the rest of the village had to do the same. All except me and Boomerang, who were out on a secret mission at the time. We eventually traded our immortality to save the life of my son, who was under a similar, but less powerful curse. Boomerang was upset at first, but he got over it after a quest to find a way to return to our former selves nearly cost the two of us our lives. Heck, we'd rather die in a few decades than kick the bucket in some exploration that nets us no profit, and doesn't help us with the war against the Zeikians."  
  
"That's deep," commented Irv.  
  
Just then, a messenger came in and yelled, "Sir Boomerang, Sir Zed, we're under attack. Elder Rainie needs your help."  
  
Boomerang grabbed his helmet and put it on. "You children stay here. After this is all over with, I'll personally help you find your way back home."  
  
As he and Zed ran off to battle, Rex sat down on the couch. He began to pout over being left behind again. Alley sat next to him, with Irv and Annie across the way.  
  
"It's not fair," Rex whined, "I'm seventeen years old, I can fight. Dad and Uncle worry about me too much."  
  
"Why would you want to risk your life anyway? You're the hottest music sensation out there, why would you want to throw it away?" asked Alley.  
  
Rex told her, "I'm just a singer for a cover. True I've a nice voice, but I just sing to help my dad and uncle with their missions. They cover as my agents, and are able to move around the world looking for information on defeating the Zeikians once and for all unnoticed by the general public, or - - even better - - the Zeikians themselves."  
  
* * *  
  
About an hour later, Boomerang and Zed came back. The Zeikians had fled the scene, and were no doubt trying to come up with another plan to kill off the Rainians. Elder Rainie was listening to everyone's account of the battle, trying to figure out a way to better combat his enemies.  
  
Annie was in awe. "You people sure are proficient in what you do. Mom and I just rush into the fight, and decide how to do it while we're already there."  
  
"On the fly, eh?" asked Zed, "Hey Boomerang, isn't that how you used to battle?"  
  
"Before I met the elder, yes. After Rainie took me into the village two thousand years ago, no," Boomerang told his friend.  
  
Zed suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, I almost forgot. The elder would like to see the three kids who came to the village. We should get going."  
  
* * *  
  
Some time later, the youths found themselves in the office of Rainie, elder of the village of Hiadas. He was a tall man with short light blue hair and gray eyes. His robes were silver with gold lining on the bottom, at the cuffs, and around the front, as well as the fabric that tied it closed. Annie gulped, he made her feel nervous.  
  
When Rainie took one look at Annie, his face went pale. "Adrian?! Is that you? I thought you died over 30 years ago? Have you been reincarnated?"  
  
Annie just stared at the man in front of her. Who was this Adrian? And why did he think that she resembled her?  
  
- - - -  
  
Another mystery to solve. I've officially become a pure chowderhead, I mean I'm naming all of my chapters after different songs. 


	4. Everywhere

Everywhere  
  
"Excuse me Elder Rainie," inquired Annie, "Who is Adrian? My name is Annie, not Adrian. I would like to know why you have confused me with her?"  
  
"Adrian was my human lover. Come closer children, I will tell you about her," Rainie began. The four teens - - who didn't like to be referred to as "children" - - sat down so he could explain. * * *  
  
Now we really must switch gears at this point. You really need to know what happened after Kanon and Ashley noticed that the Hovercraft was gone. As you might have guessed, they immediately knew what had happened, and began the search. But with Lombardia sleeping in the volcano again, Valeria Chateu being grounded since Irving and Altecia's death, and the Hovercraft in an unknown location, things looked grim.  
  
After some convincing, Ashley asked the King to lend him something he could use to search for the Hovercraft. With nothing much in the way of transportation, the only option was a rowboat. So they were forced to go to Plan B.  
  
The duo headed to Under Traffic, in order to journey to the Sielje region. Ashley was hoping to ask Lilika to borrow the Teleportation Orb. He'd have gotten a Teleportation Gem from the shop, but - - as luck would have it - - they were all out.  
  
Ashley groaned, "Why do these things always happen to me? Everytime I want to do something, it all blows up." He then began to grumble about Sword Cathedral, Knight Blazer, getting locked in jail, Odessa, Vinsefeld, Kuipier Belt, the twins, and Marina's wrath.  
  
Kanon sweatdropped. "Sure Ashley. Whatever you say. You don't have to complain to me, I know all too well about things that go wrong. When I met my fiancée, I thought I'd finally be able to find someone to love me after the death of my mother. But then he died in the accident. At least you have Marina to come home to after you find the twins, all I have to look forward to is another adventure with Annie around the world."  
  
At this point, they exited Under Traffic. The two friends began to head for Mt. Chug-Chug, the final leg of their journey to Sielje. But by the time they arrived, it was late. So Kanon and Ashley were forced to camp out, and continue on in the morning.  
  
* * *  
  
"Wake up Ashley," yelled Kanon, "It's morning Ashley."  
  
The marksman got up in a flash. He ran to the stream to wash his face in order to wake himself up. Then he gathered his supplies, and went back to Kanon.  
  
"One of these days, you're going to get in trouble. Honestly Ashley, you're the former field commander of ARMS, you should know how to get up," she chided.  
  
Ashley told her, "You try raising two pranksters for sixteen years, then come back and tell me how tired you feel ever night."  
  
Kanon looked him in the eyes. "I think I'll pass. Let's get going."  
  
They headed through Mt. Chug-Chug with rapid speed. Kanon knew they would need speed in order to reach the teens before something happened. She wasn't worried about Annie, the young girl could take care of herself. But Irv and Alley were prone to getting in trouble, and would probably be neck deep if they weren't with Annie.  
  
When they managed to get through the cave, they found themselves in the Sielje Region. It wasn't long before they arrived at the magic city, and went inside. Then, the two began to search the town for Lilika.  
  
Suddenly, Kanon felt something collide with her, knocking her over. When she looked at whatever it was, she saw a brown haired boy with green eyes who looked about five rubbing a bump on his head. He had on black shoes, brown pants, and a white shirt. Over them, the boy had on a blue robe that was lined with a golden color thread.  
  
"I'm sorry miss," the boy stated, "I'm in a hurry."  
  
"It's ok kid. I hope you weren't hurt," Kanon said.  
  
The boy replied, "I'm ok miss. It's only a little wound. I'm a sorcerer in training, and I can just use my magic to heal it in no time."  
  
Just then they heard a woman's voice echoing throughout the city. "Xavier, where are you young man? You better not be causing trouble for the citizens again. I swear, I wonder what manners that your father teaches you."  
  
"Mama," called the boy, "I'm ok, just fell down."  
  
A woman with long brown hair, wearing mage's robes came into view in a little while. She came over to them, and grabbed her son's hand. When she saw the duo that her boy had collided with, the woman's eyes went wide.  
  
"Ashley, Kanon, it's been a long time since we've seen each other. Don't mind Xavier, he takes after Terry way too much," she exclaimed.  
  
Kanon said, "I know this is a little sudden Lilika, but we need to talk. We're having a little bit of an emergency, and need your help."  
  
So Kanon and Ashley told Lilika about the twins and Annie disappearing with the Hovercraft. Then they mentioned about the store being out of Teleportation Gems, and the need they had to borrow the Teleportation Orb from her.  
  
Lilika handed it over at once. "Of course I'll lend it to you. I couldn't just stand by while your children are in trouble. Just bring it back when you're done."  
  
After saying goodbye to Lilika and her son, the two warriors outside. When they looked into the orb, they saw that the Hovercraft was near Baskar Village. Wondering if they had used the tools to climb to the village, they decided to go ask Tim if he'd seen them.  
  
- - - -  
  
We'll get back to Adrian next chapter. Just had to go and tell you about the adults' search. 


	5. Telling Stories

Telling Stories  
  
Rainie's story began about 40 years ago. Back then, the people of the village still had their immortality, and larger size. Peace reigned in those days, because the Zeikians had just lost their best general, and were attempting to regroup their forces.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Elder, what are we doing?" asked one of his commanders, "If the Zeikians see us out here in the woods, they'll surely attack us."  
  
"I know, but I must make sure that they don't have any little surprises planned. You never know if their backing off is due to us or just a cleaver ruse," Rainie replied.  
  
They walked on through the forest for nearly an hour. No Zeikian patrol had been seen in that time, and Rainie was beginning to believe that they'd actually won the war at long last. But as they were turning back, he spotted something lying in the bushes.  
  
Rainie yelled, "Come over here, I've found something."  
  
His commander trotted over to him and took a look as well. "Why, it's a human. We haven't seen one of those since, gosh. . .it's been nearly three millennia."  
  
"She looks hurt," Rainie told him, "Unconscious, and she's got a wound on her shoulder. Wonder if the Zeikians did this to her?"  
  
"We can't just leave her," begged the second man.  
  
Rainie stated, "I'll carry her back to Hiadas. You will make sure we're not attacked, and if we are, I give you permission to fight back."  
  
So they carried the wounded woman back with them to the village. Rainie brought her to his place, and lay her on the bed. He called a doctor, and treated her wounds. That night, the woman took Rainie's bed, and the elder slept on the couch, so she could have some comfort.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, the woman woke up with a start. She realized that she was in a place that was unfamiliar to her, and her raven hair stuck to her head because of the sweat. Her violet eyes showed signs of terror. Thoughts began to swarm through her head at once. 'Where am I? How did I get here? And who brought me here in the first place?'  
  
Her questions were answered sooner than she thought. At that moment, Rainie entered the room to check on her. Big mistake, she freaked at the sight of the seven-foot man entering the room, and threw a book she'd found on the dresser at him.  
  
"Ouch, that wasn't very nice," he said, "After all the trouble I went through to save your life. You would have died if you didn't get medical attention."  
  
"Better I had died. My own family rejects me, there's nothing more for me in this world. No one will ever know the pain I'm going through," she cried.  
  
Rainie whispered, "I understand. The people of my village were cut off from our entire race in ancient times. Now the two halves of the race are at war. It appears that you've been caught up in it too, by walking through these woods."  
  
The woman looked shocked at his confession. "What did your ancestors do, to have themselves cut off from their entire race?"  
  
So Rainie told her all about the Rainians and the Zeikians. He reiterated the very story that Rex had told Annie, Irv, and Alley when they'd first arrived, and the one that Zed had told when the four arrived at the village. When he was done, the girl was touched.  
  
"Well, thank you for saving me Rainie," she said, "And my name is Adrian. I come from a place far away, but I wouldn't mind staying for awhile."  
  
* * *  
  
Things were peaceful for some time. Rainie and Adrian became very close to each other. In fact, the two became lovers after about a month. It was thought that the two would wed, but then, as often happens, fate stepped in and stated otherwise.  
  
Adrian became sick with a deadly disease. Everyone immediately knew it had to have been the Zeikians, as it looked like it was curse spread. Rainie began to panic over his beloved's condition. When medicine failed, he turned to an ancient altar to the Guardians - - constructed by his people after they came to live in this forest.  
  
"Oh great and powerful Guardians, hear my plea. My beloved lays dying of an enchantment, laid upon us by our enemy. No medicine can save her, but I know that you all powerful Guardians can do something," he prayed.  
  
A voice suddenly rang out, "I will help you, those who abandoned your evil ways to live in harmony with our humans. But in return, you must pledge something of great power. You and everyone living in your village will become mortals. Is that your wish?"  
  
Rainie wasted no time agreeing. He felt energy flowing out of him and into the Guardian Alter. When he returned home, he found Adrian was felling much better.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Ranie looked at the children. "And that is how we lost our immortality, and have attained a more human sized stature. All except Boomerang and Zed, who were not in the village, and later traded their powers to save Rex. We still kept our metallic bodies though, and if one of us is wounded, you would be able to see what we really are. But the story doesn't end there. Of course, we confirmed that the Zeikians had sent the curse. It was a spell that would make any human or half human it targeted sick to the point of death. I sent Adrian away, hoping to save her life. Later, I heard rumors that she'd given birth to a child, my child. But when I set out to look for her, I was too late. The Zeikians attacked and killed the whole village she'd been staying in. I found her body lying in the ruins of a building, and brought it out here to bury, as I couldn't trust the humans to find her. But I never found the body of my child, or even confirmed that I had one. So I'm still searching for that child, hoping to at least meet him or her once. I guess I thought you to be the ghost of my kid, you look so much like Adrian."  
  
Annie began to think. Could her mysterious father, the one who died in the accident, have been that child? No, her mother would have never gone for anyone who could be classified as a demon, reformed or not, Kanon still bore scars of her. . .wait a minute! Didn't her mother live through such a destructive event on her hometown? Could it be possible, that after all these years of hating demons, that her mother could be one herself?  
  
- - - -  
  
Next chapter will deal with what happened when Kanon and Ashley go to visit Tim. Lotta suspense and intrigue in this chapter. 


	6. The Search is Over

The Search is Over  
  
Kanon and Ashley teleported to Baskar Village in order to continue searching for their children. Near the gate, they saw a little girl about four years old picking daisies. She had short blond hair and blue eyes. Her dress was white with a sky blue border on the bottom, collar, and sleeve ends. Around her shoulders was a shawl much like the one Tim liked to wear.  
  
"Greetings and Welcome to Baskar Village," she said, "I hope you enjoy your stay. Is there anything I can get for you?"  
  
"We're looking for some young people who have gone missing. One is a boy with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a REX RYU shirt and blue jeans. The second is a girl with blue hair and brown eyes wearing a REX RYU dress. Finally, there is another girl who has black hair, violet eyes with an eyepatch over her left one wearing a brown dress with a cape. They're nearly as big as the two of us. Have you seen any of them?" asked Ashley.  
  
The girl replied, "Nope, haven't seen 'em. But maybe my mommy has. Let's go see her." With that, the child began to lead the way to her house.  
  
Inside, Kanon saw a blond woman cooking something on the stove. "Excuse me ma'am, have you seen my daughter and her two friends? My child looks exactly like me, while his son has his eyes and brown hair, and his daughter has his hair and brown eyes."  
  
The woman turned around. When she got one look at Kanon, she nearly fainted. It didn't faze the young Merc one bit, she was used to being repulsed for her appearance. But what happened next surprised her. The lady recovered and shook her hands. It was then that Kanon recognized whom it was that she was talking to.  
  
"Collett, it's nice to see you again," Kanon stated, "Where's Tim at?"  
  
"Out on a routine check of the cliffs near the village. There's been times where strange energy gets released in the forest below, and we can't deduce what it is. It's been happening for several generations now, and we're used to it. The elder has theorized that it was that energy that led Antenora to build her Diablo Pillar there. So people who are in close contact with the Guardians often go there to try and find out what it is. I go every so often, either Tim or I must stay home to look after Lisa here," said Collett, pointing to her daughter.  
  
Ashley inquired, "Collett, have you seen my twins and Kanon's daughter? The twins were goofing around with the Hovercraft, and now they've all disappeared. We've found the Hovercraft crashed on the beach down below, and wondered if they came here for refuge, as Baskar is the closest village to the site."  
  
Collett was silent for a few seconds before responding. "No, they haven't come here. They could be in trouble, as the energy down below was acting up again. You should go and find them in case that energy is dangerous."  
  
Now you didn't have to tell Ashley and Kanon twice. The two of them practically raced to the outskirts of town. Once there, they used the Teleportation Orb to head for the Hovercraft.  
  
* * *  
  
"Let's head back to our Hovercraft," Annie told her friends, "Maybe with the help of our new friends, we can get it up and running again."  
  
"We're going home," Irv cheered.  
  
Annie stated, "Not yet. We'll get my mom to come back here with us to help. There's a theory I want to test."  
  
Alley rolled her eyes. "But Annie, your mom hates demons. Why in the name of Raftina would she help their kind anyway?"  
  
"Because we're not telling her that they're demons," Annie replied, "We'll tell her she's going to be FIGHTING demons, just not that she'll also be FIGHTING ALONGSIDE demons. What she doesn't know won't hurt her."  
  
"You're devious," commented Rex.  
  
Irv added in, "A real sly devil."  
  
Annie smiled. "And proud of it too."  
  
The four youths walked back to the Hovercraft. Boomerang and Zed were traveling with them, but concealed in the bushes. They were hoping to kill off any Zeikians that tried to attack the group by ambush. Hopefully, that would keep the four safe until they arrived at their vehicle.  
  
When they got there, they immediately went to work. Irv and Alley were pretty good with mechanics - - if only to use those skills in a prank. Annie was a fair hand herself, as she would need some while searching through old castles with various mechanisms in them. So they figured that it wouldn't take much time at all to finish the project. Rex stood with his back to the Hovercraft and his face to the forest, just in case of an attack.  
  
Suddenly, they saw two forms materialize before them with the magical energy of a Teleportation Gem or Orb. One of them was masculine, and the other was feminine. As the forms became clearer, they turned into Ashley and Kanon.  
  
"Annie, thank goodness," Kanon called, "I was so worried about you."  
  
"Mommy," the girl yelled. She then ran strait into Kanon's outstretched arms.  
  
Ashley stated, "You two had me freaked out. Your poor mother nearly had a heart attack. Luckily, neither of you were hurt."  
  
Irv and Alley noted that he sounded more concerned than angry with them. It wasn't something that happened often with their pranks. Neither of them cared at how silly they looked running into their father's arms and allowing him to embrace them.  
  
Annie looked into her mother's good eye. 'We've got to do something about the Zekians before they kill any more people. Will she believe me when I tell her all that has gone on since we crashed in this forest. All I know is that the people here need the help of Kanon to get the job done."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we're all together again. Let's see what happens when Kanon meets the Ranians. Can Annie keep their origins a secret? Is the girl's theory of her mother's origins correct? Only time will tell. Dang, I sound like I'm summarizing a whole new story here. 


	7. How Bizzarre

How Bizarre  
  
"Hey Rex," called Alley, "Come over here. My dad and Annie's mom are here, and I would like you to meet them."  
  
Rex turned around and walked right over to Ashley and Kanon. "Hello, I'm Rex. I'm the one who found Alley and the others when they crashed, and took them to the safety of my village. There's a battle going on in the area, and I worried about other people getting involved in my father's village's personal conflicts," Rex said.  
  
Kanon took one look at the boy and thought, 'He's got a little crush on Alley it seems. I could see that blush on his face when she called out to him. Quite a cute little boy. But I'm sure I've seen that face somewhere before, and I'm not talking about on his concert posters."  
  
Ashley was shocked when he saw Rex. "By the Guardians, you're Rex Ryu, the singer. What a coincidence to meet you here."  
  
"What is your name?" asked Rex, "I can tell you're her father, but what do they call you?" "Ashley Winchester, and this is my good friend Kanon," he stated.  
  
Irv inquired," Hey Rex, do you think we could all go back to Hiadas together? I'm sure dad and Kanon would be able to help in the war."  
  
Kanon looked perplexed. "What war? Is that the energy that the people of Baskar have been sensing around here for generations?"  
  
"Yes," Rex replied, "I might as well inform you of the events surrounding this battle."  
  
* * *  
  
So Rex told Kanon and Ashley the same story he had told the others, only it was more selected. Following Annie's advice, he left out the part about his people being a race from a foreign planet. He did mention that they were fighting demons though.  
  
"If we're battling demons, I'm in," Kanon told them.  
  
Ashley added, "We can't allow the innocents of this village to be killed by these evils. Don't worry Rex, you can count on Kanon and I."  
  
Rex smiled. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I better go get my father and uncle and tell them what is going on." He then walked off into the forest to inform Zed and Boomerang of the sudden appearance of allies.  
  
"Well, this seems like it will be a good fight," Kanon stated, "If demons are involved, it will be exciting to say the least. I never knew what demons killed my mother, so this battle may be my own vengeance. But why am I getting the feeling that you're not telling me everything?"  
  
The three were silent. They were thinking of exactly how to answer Kanon that wouldn't give the secret away. Finally they just told her that they were trying to solve a mystery - - which wasn't technically a lie, as Annie had found one to look at.  
  
Suddenly, a Zeikian came out of the forest. Annie knew what it was instantly, as it would be hard to mistake an eight-foot man for anything else. He took one look at Annie, and grabbed his knife. Then, he charged at her and deeply scratched her right arm.  
  
"Annie!" yelled Irv. He pulled his ARM out of its strap, and aimed it right at the Metal Demon. Irv shot him strait in the head, and he fell instantly.  
  
With the enemy vanquished, Kanon ran to tend to her daughter's wound. Instantly, she knew something was wrong. Annie's arm had a metallic interior. If it was the left arm - - her artificial arm - - she would have paid no heed to it. But this was the right arm.  
  
Kanon asked, "Annie. . .what has happened to your arm?"  
  
Annie took a look. She was quite mystified at what she saw. But then she remembered what Elder Rainie had told her about his race. "We still kept our metallic bodies though, and if one of us is wounded, you would be able to see what we really are." Did this mean that she was part Hiadan, as she had thought?  
  
Tears were in Kanon's eyes. "You can't be, this is just like what was described in the legend of the Metal Demons. But, I've never seen you bleed in your life. The only wound you ever received was the eye and the replacing of your arm, and I didn't watch the operation. Could it be. . .he never told me anything about himself. Why didn't he say that he was a Metal Demon? He showed all of the signs of being one, except for the great size. Was my love just so blind to see the truth about him?"  
  
"Mommy," Annie whispered," It's ok. The Metal Demons aren't all bad. The good ones abandoned their race in the old war. Now, they're fighting their evil counterparts." "I knew you were keeping secrets from me. So, demon versus demon. This should be an interesting battle indeed," Kanon said.  
  
Annie admitted, "We thought you wouldn't help out if you knew about where they came from. So we decided to keep it a secret."  
  
Just then, Rex ran in with Zed and Boomerang. "We were attacked and delayed on the way here. What happened to you guys, and why is Annie's good arm made out of metal? Is she a halfblood like myself or something?"  
  
When he looked to his father and uncle for the answers, he saw that they were wide eyed with amazement. But this amazement wasn't over Annie and her arm. Rather, it was over Kanon, who they were both staring at.  
  
Boomerang stepped forward. "It's been a long time since we last saw each other Kannie. How have things been going for you?"  
  
"Boomerang!" she exclaimed, "You're alive?! I thought you and Zed had both perished when the mine collapsed on us."  
  
- - - -  
  
I think no less than 80% of you are seeing where this is going. Well, I always thought that Kanon and Boomerang had a similar personality type. This was the beginning of the Irv/Annie, Alley/Rex theme that I'll be developing in later chapters. 


	8. Edge of Heaven

Edge of Heaven  
  
"Wow!" exclaimed Alley, "You two know each other. I thought you hated all demons for what happened to your mother."  
  
"I didn't know he was a demon when I met him. But I guess that demon isn't the most accurate term for these reformed ones, so what should I call them?" asked Kanon.  
  
Zed said, "You can just say Hiadan. That's the true name of our race. Metal Demon was adopted because of the metallic bodies we possess, and the violent nature of the majority of our race. We're still warriors, but we've been reformed from what we were all those years ago."  
  
Annie stared wide-eyed at her mother. "Mom. . .what is Boomerang to you? I've never heard you mention his name before."  
  
"I guess I should tell you," Kanon stated, "You see, Boomerang and Zed were the men who hired me out all of those years ago, right after the Memorial Dedication. We traveled together for a long time. Annie, Boomerang is your father."  
  
"What! I thought you said Father died," Annie cried.  
  
Boomerang told her, "We thought we would die in that mine. It was a stroke of luck, finding a weak spot in the rockslide, and the tools we needed to escape."  
  
Irv looked shocked. "Wow Annie, you're half Hiadan. That's so amazing."  
  
"Explains why you have that metal arm," Rex said, "You've inherited your mother's looks, and your father's body. I guess the warrior's spirit comes from them both, you did tell us that your mother was a powerful Merc." "One of the best I've ever met. When I met her, she'd knocked out a whole bar full of men who didn't know the meaning of 'N-O'," Boomerang joked.  
  
Zed informed everyone, "Well, we should get back to town. I don't know what will happen if we get trapped by the Zeikians here. I mean, all of us have been attacked. We have to give Elder Rainie a report of what is going on so he can take appropriate measures."  
  
Boomerang looked at Kanon. "I wouldn't worry too much. We've been holding those beasts off for so many years that we've become masters."  
  
The group began to walk through the forest. But unbeknownst to them, sinister eyes watched from the cover of the trees. They followed the eight warriors until the gates of Hiadas. Then, they vanished as if they never existed.  
  
* * *  
  
Boomerang and Zed gave their report to Elder Rainie. He seemed interested in the whole situation, especially the fact that Boomerang had a kid. It seemed to remind him so much of Adrian and the child that he never knew.  
  
When they came out, Kanon and Boomerang went to take a walk together. Irv and Alley were snickering at the fact, as Annie shot them the evil eye. She was happy that her mother had found happiness at last. Even better, her birth father was alive.  
  
They stayed out for most of the night. While that was going on, Rex began to teach them some games that were popular in Hiadas. Most of them were Hiadan variations of Poker, Blackjack, and other betting games. Ashley was too tired and bored to notice that his children were betting.  
  
By the time Kanon and Boomerang came back, everyone was asleep. Ashley had curled up on the sofa and was snoring loudly. Rex was in his own room, with Irv, Annie, and Alley sleeping on the floor on pallets. "I had a great time tonight," Kanon stated, "We took a nice walk, and managed to slay a few enemies while we were at it. I hope that we can spend more time together in the future."  
  
"We will. My offer from all of those years ago still stands," Boomerang told her.  
  
Kanon replied, "Of course I will. My feelings haven't changed after all these years. If anything, they've only gotten stronger."  
  
Boomerang smiled at her. He held Kanon gently in his arms. Then, the two reunited lovers shared a long and meaningful kiss.  
  
* * *  
  
A shadowy figure ran through the village of Hiadas. 'So, this is where they live,' it thought, 'I must find a way to get to that group of heroes.'  
  
The figure ran towards Boomerang and Zed's house. It climbed up the side of the house, and entered through the open window. Finding itself inside of a bedroom, it looked around.  
  
There, it found the four youths sleeping peacefully. Its eyes traveled from Rex, to Alley, to Annie, and finally to Irv. The figure smiled maliciously.  
  
'This is the one I will take. He seems like the one that the raven- haired girl is the most interested in. Lord Selthon has stated that she is the one that we need, but we need an incentive for her to follow us. I'm sure a threat to her beloved will aid in our cause,' it mused.  
  
The figure picked Irv up in its arms. Then, it left through the same window it'd come in from. It ran through the town again, and headed back to the forest.  
  
* * *  
  
When Annie woke up the next morning, she was surprised to see Irv's sleeping bag empty. He usually was the last member of the group to wake up, even his sister wasn't as late a sleeper as him. So where was he?  
  
She went down to the living room to ponder the situation. Suddenly, a brick came crashing through the window. Annie could see a note attached to it. The young halfblood took it off of the brick, and began to read. "'I've kidnapped the brown-haired human brat. If you want to save him, little raven-haired urchin, come to our base. Come alone, and don't try any funny business. If you don't heed our demands, we will kill him.' Oh my Guardians, how am I going to save him now?"  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, here's some excitement for you. I extended this as a break in the usual "boy saves girl" stereotype. Now, I'm having the girl save the boy. 


	9. It's Up to You

Its Up to You  
  
Annie went back upstairs to get her supplies. She put on her eyepatch, and grabbed her dagger. Then she wrote a note to tell everyone where she was going. Finally, Annie left the house, and began to journey towards the enemy castle.  
  
'Irv, I'm coming,' Annie told herself, 'I won't let them lay one hand on you, even if it costs me my life in the process."  
  
* * *  
  
Soon, Annie arrived at the Zeikian's fort. The guards apparently were expecting her, and let her pass without question. She walked through the enemy's base, and headed to the receiving chamber. When she arrived, Annie went inside.  
  
After taking one look at the man on the throne, Annie was shocked. The leader stood at a full nine feet tall, and was in full armor. He had blood red eyes, and coal black hair. His skin was green, and he had horns sticking out of his head. You might say that he looked like a goblin.a very big and muscular goblin.  
  
"Greetings, I am Selthon, heir of Zeikfried, the last great general of the Metal Demons. I have called you here for a very important reason," he said.  
  
Annie yelled, "Before you make any demands, let me see Irving."  
  
Selthon snapped his fingers. In came a pair of guards, each standing at about seven and a half feet tall. They carried the unconscious Irv between them. When they arrived at the center of the chamber, they flung him to the floor.  
  
Annie ran to him. "Irv, are you ok? Speak to me."  
  
"Oooooooooooh, Annie. . ." he moaned, "Where are we? We're not in Boomerang and Zed's place anymore. What happened?"  
  
"You were kidnapped by the Zeikians, to get to me," she told him.  
  
Selthon said, "We need you for a very special reason. You see, you are the child of Boomerang - - the first caller of Lucied - - and Kanon - - descendant of the Sword Magess, who was the second caller of Lucied. The power inside of you is strong, and although you don't know it yet, you have a burning desire. You're desire is the same as that of your parents, to become a strong warrior. Combine that desire with the blood of the Metal Demons and Valerias, you can become a powerful ally in this endeavor. But we don't need you to be wreaking any havoc before we can make our point across. Thus, we kidnapped this young lad whom you've seemed to take a liking to. I know you foolish humans would do anything to save a loved one. So you have no choice but to help us. Either join our ranks, and help create a path of death and destruction, or watch him die."  
  
Annie glared at him. "You beast, you have no honor at all."  
  
"I know I don't," Selthon replied, "We Demons don't have need for any honor. You should listen to your own heart, and the blood of the Metal Demons that flows throughout your veins."  
  
Annie sunk to her knees. She looked at her hands, which were shaking. A quick glance at her right arm showed the scar of her previous injury. Although it was closed now, it was still a reminder of her foreign blood, the blood that bore traces of a demonic ancestry.  
  
"Annie, don't listen to what they say. You are still yourself, even with the knowledge of your past. Remember, your father and his friends gave up the life of destruction, and now use their powers for the good of the village. Don't allow yourself to comply with their plans. You know they won't spare me once they have you under their control," Irv begged.  
  
Selthon bellowed, "Silence human. This girl is a demon, whether she likes it or not. No matter what Rainie and his friends say, they are all part of a demonic circle. One of these days, they'll all regress, and come back to us, begging to be given a chance to kill and destroy you foolish humans, and claim Filgaia once and for all."  
  
Annie got to her feet, and walked towards the demon lord. Selthon began to chuckle, he knew she wouldn't refuse him now. But things didn't go quite as he planned. When Annie was close enough to him, she let out her Eagle Claw technique, knocking him down.  
  
Selthon let out a howl of pain. "You little brat. What did you do that for?"  
  
"I'd never help you," she stated, "No matter what you say, I'm still Anastasia Raven, Merc and Bounty Hunter. Race doesn't matter, what matters is how you feel deep inside. Let's go Irv, I'm sure Uncle Ashley is worried about you."  
  
* * *  
  
They ran through the fort, Annie fighting whatever they came across. When they finally got out of there, they continued running until they were deep in the forest. There, the duo stopped for a breather, concealed by the trees.  
  
"Thank you Annie, you saved my life," Irv commented.  
  
Annie replied, "No sweat, it wasn't that big a deal."  
  
Irv looked her strait in the eye. "But why did you come alone? I know the note said to, but you couldn't be sure of their intentions. What if they would have hurt you?"  
  
"I didn't want to risk you getting killed," Annie told him, "They said to follow the instructions to the letter, or they would do so."  
  
"But what reason is there for you to put my life above yours?" Irv asked.  
  
Annie told him, "Because. . .I love you."  
  
- - - -  
  
Some fluff at the end. Well, I used the name Raven as sort of an assumed last name that Annie took. She was on a job or something, and they needed to know her last name. So she and Kanon thought to use the name Raven, as it sounded like something a Merc would use. It was also a term for Merc in the game Tsungai: Atonement (and if I'm spelling it wrong, sue me). 


	10. Can't Fight the Moonlight

Cant Fight the Moonlight  
  
Kanon was waiting at the village entrance for Annie to return. She knew she couldn't follow her daughter where she traveled, as she didn't know where to go. So she wanted to be the first one to welcome Annie and Irv home.  
  
Suddenly, she saw the two of them walking towards the village. Irv looked a little tired and hungry, but not much else seemed wrong. He was holding himself up just fine, the boy had no need for Annie to carry him.  
  
"Annie! Thank the Guardians," Kanon called, "You two weren't hurt at all. I knew that you would be able to rescue Irv."  
  
"Mommy! It's ok now. We've escaped the enemy's clutches," Annie yelled back. Then she and Irv ran to the village. Immediately, they returned to the house.  
  
* * *  
  
Boomerang looked at his plate with worry. The Zekians seemed to have planned this out pretty well. Now, they might do something desperate to get Annie to obey them. As if Irv's kidnapping wasn't desperate enough.  
  
Kanon assured him, "Annie can take care of herself. She has been on the road with me for all of her life. Besides, she did manage to escape Selthon's base on her own. Irv didn't even have his bayonet with him to help out."  
  
Boomerang turned towards his beloved. "I know she can take care of herself. I'm just worried about all of the people who are going to get hurt because of Selthon's ambition. Listen to me, I'm starting to sound like Roughnight, Van Burace, and Adelhyde." He laughed at his own joke. When everyone looked at him strangely, he told them about his encounters with the two humans and the Holmcross who had managed to teach him about true power.  
  
It wasn't until the evening Alley found time to escape the house. All of the adults were debating on what they should do to protect the village from this new threat. Later on, Boomerang and Zed would tell their findings to Rainie, but now they wanted Ashley and Kanon's opinion on the situation. They'd figured that humans may take a different view from Hiadans, and might help them find a way to better defend the town.  
  
"This is so boring," she grumbled, "I don't want to talk about the situation, I want to get action. Talk just wastes time sometimes."  
  
"I agree, we should find a way to strike out, not how to hold back. But everyone worries too much, our protection plan is flawless," commented Rex, who walked right up to Alley. As he stood next to her in the moonlight, he began to blush.  
  
Alley asked him, "Are you following me? I've seen that you always have to sit next to me on the couch or at dinner. And now you come to see me when I'm musing on my own."  
  
Rex's blush tripled. "Well, I guess so. You're really pretty, and nice, and sweet, and now I'm rambling on like an idiot."  
  
"That's ok," Alley told Rex, "I was just joking. I kind of enjoy spending time with you. You're strong, street smart, and majorly cool. I hope we can spend some time together in the near future. I'll probably go back to Meria with my father when this is all over."  
  
"You can visit me anytime. There's that thing you humans call a Teleportation Gem. You can come here, and use it to take me to Meria. Then, I'll have the location of the town in my memory, and can use a Gem anytime to go there on my own," Rex stated.  
  
Alley replied, "True."  
  
They walked to the Village Square. There, they saw an elaborately carved fountain. Alley went to sit on the rim, and ran her hand through the water. Rex did the same thing. Suddenly, Alley splashed her friend with the cold water. He decided to get her back, and soon the duo was drenched, and had fallen into the fountain. Both were laughing hard.  
  
Rex sat down in the fountain. "This is the most fun thing I've ever done in my life. We should do some more things together without your brother or Annie getting in the way. How about we take a walk under the stars?"  
  
Alley nodded her head. So they spent the next few hours walking around town as they dried off. Later on, they sat on a bench, looking up at the stars through the trees. The young girl lay her head on Rex's shoulder, and smiled.  
  
* * *  
  
"And that is what is going on, Elder," Boomerang finished, "We don't know what to do next, the enemy might strike at any time."  
  
"So, your daughter is related to nobility. And her blood seems to have some power from the past inside of it that the enemy wishes to harness," Rainie stated.  
  
Boomerang told him, "Descended of the Sword Magess, in actuality. Her mom is a relation to the Valeria family, which is now destroyed."  
  
Rainie looked at his most trusted subordinate. "Sword Magess, hmmmmmmmmmmm. . .I would like to meet the woman. Could you ask her to come on by?"  
  
"One step ahead of you," Boomerang informed his leader, "She's waiting in the lobby for me to call her in." With that, he opened the door.  
  
In walked Kanon. She took a seat next to Boomerang, and waited for Rainie to begin speaking. But for some reason, the elder was just staring at her in amazement. Only one word escaped his lips, the name Adrian.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we have some Alley/Rex romance in this chapter. And some more intrigue that will be revealed in the next chapter. 


	11. Listen to Your Heart

Listen to Your Heart  
  
"Adrian, that was the name of your beloved, right?" inquired Kanon, "I'm sorry, I'm not her. My name is Kanon, and I am a Mercenary."  
  
"Kanon must not be your real name. No mother would give her children such a name. Well, maybe one of us, but not a human mother. You must have changed your name before you became a Merc. What did your birth mother call you, young Merc?" asked Rainie.  
  
Kanon told him, "She called me Aisha. After her death, and my scarring, I felt that the name didn't fit me at all. So I threw away my identity, and took on the persona of Kanon."  
  
Rainie stared at her for a moment. "Just like it was with your daughter, you greatly resemble my beloved Adrian. It's so uncanny, that for a moment I thought she came back. After the Zeikians burned her home down and killed everyone in the town, I guess I just felt like I should have been able to help her in some way, and blamed myself."  
  
"Did you say her hometown was burnt?!" exclaimed Kanon, "And that the culprit was the Zeikians, the group that still goes by the name Metal Demon?"  
  
"Yes, but why?" inquired Rainie.  
  
Kanon replied, "My mother was killed in a demon's assault on our hometown. I was young then, and didn't quite realize what was going on. For some strange reason, they were after me. But my mother wouldn't let them come any closer. She died on her doorstep, after yelling 'Aisha, run!' I ran as far as I could, but was attacked by the demons before too long. My left arm and leg was broken beyond repair, they gouged out my left eye, and left a scratch on my right eye. In fact, I still have some scars on my left torso and breast from the attack. They luckily thought that my 'frail, human body' was too weak from the assault, and left me to die. But I managed to drag myself away from the village at the first opportune moment, and head for the nearest doctor. He preformed the surgery that turned me into the woman I am today. If I hadn't gone, I probably would have died."  
  
Boomerang looked at his beloved with wide eyes. He'd known that she was orphaned and scarred in the same incident, but he never knew all the details. It was something Kanon didn't want to talk about, and he'd respected her privacy. Now that he'd heard the story, he could see why she didn't tell it. It is rare for one as young as Kanon had been to be targeted by demons. What deadly secret was she hiding, that was unknown even to herself?  
  
Rainie was even more shocked than Boomerang. "You mean to tell me that you were the target of a demon's attack when you were a child? Hmmmmmmmmmm. . .most interesting. Miss Kanon, would you mind if I saw your right arm for a little? I mean, can you give yourself a cut with your knife, there's something I would like to see."  
  
"What reason would you have for doing that?" asked Kanon, "But I guess it can't hurt, I've already gotten all those scars on the left side of my body, one more on the right won't do anything to hurt me." So she took her knife, and made a shallow cut above her elbow.  
  
Rainie took a look. "I was right. You aren't just some random girl who has been swelled up in the tide of fate," he stated.  
  
Kanon wondered what he meant. So she also looked at her arm. Just as it was with Annie, her arm was made out of metal. And this wasn't the artificial one either. She thought back to the day she'd gotten the implants. The doctors had all seamed a little freaked out when she'd walked past. They had all spoken words like demon, monster, and android in hushed whispers. The child had always thought they were talking about the attack that had led her to be orphaned in the first place, how demons had come to kill a small child. She had never even imagined that they had all been speaking about what they had seen in the child.  
  
Rainie told her, "Take it easy my dear. I can tell you are feeling a bit nervous over the whole situation. Just listen to what your heart tells you."  
  
Kanon laughed. "It's just funny, that's all. I've been a Demon Slayer for years, as has been my daughter. For me and her to turn out to have the same blood as that of the very monsters we've been hunting. Not just any demon blood, but that of the 'Metal Demons'. I don't mean to insult you Elder, it's just that's what I have been told from childhood."  
  
"No need to apologize Kanon," Rainie informed her, "Or to be more precise, I should call you Aisha Bernadette."  
  
"How did you know my last name? I only told you my first name when you asked. Heck, I haven't used the name Bernadette in years," Kanon said.  
  
Rainie stated, "You see, long ago, I had heard rumors of Adrian having my child. When we went to her burnt out village, I saw a picture of her with a young girl that looked exactly like her. I know your last name only because that was her name. . .Adrian Bernadette."  
  
Kanon looked at him with wide eyes. "You mean, that you are the father that she told me I would meet in the someday that never came?!"  
  
"Yes, my daughter, " Rainie whispered, "Finally we have met. Your dead mother must be smiling upon you from up above today."  
  
Kanon spent the rest of the day reflecting on herself. Near sunset, Rainie showed her where they had buried Adrian after she was discovered in the burnt out house. A tear fell from the mercenary's good eye, as she placed a rose on the grave, and let her sorrow over her mother go at last.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, this chapter is kind of based on a short story I read. There was this girl who was apprenticing under a demon slayer/sorceress, and they fought off a demon. When her master asks her what she was, and tells her to name what she had just fought, the girl thinks she is a demon. Thus, the sorceress states that "They say there is some demon blood in those of us who have the calling [to become a demon slayer]." That's not the exact quote, but it's mostly correct. The point is, I was going for irony at the fact that Kanon was hunting demons all her life, but she had semi-demonic blood. 


	12. The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown  
  
The next day, the Zeikians attacked the village. Although Boomerang, Zed, Kanon, Ashley, and the four teenagers were able to repel them, a small fire broke out as a result of a fire spell one of the demons cast. Thus, the rest of the day was spent trying to put it out, and to sort through the damage in order to salvage what was left.  
  
"We can't take much more of this," commented Zed, "Every time they attack, they get closer to wiping the whole town out. We've got to stop them before we're all destroyed."  
  
"I agree, we need to destroy the enemy once and for all," Boomerang replied.  
  
So the two of them, along with Kanon and Ashley, went to see Rainie. While the adults were debating on a possible plan of attack, the four teens were hanging around the village. None of them had any desire to sit and argue with their parents over what to do. They just wanted to get it over with, so they could all go back to their former lives, or search for a new future.  
  
Alley asked, "Hey Rex, what are you going to do when the war is over?"  
  
Rex shrugged. "I don't really know. I'll probably end up becoming a full time singer, since so many people like my music."  
  
"You have to come to Meria sometime," Alley reminded him, "We've got so many people over there who would just die to see you in concert."  
  
"Maybe I will," Rex replied.  
  
Irv said, "Yeah, come to Meria. It's a pretty nice place. Our parents own the bakery, and we can give you some good bread. Or we can pull a prank on my mom, whatever you prefer."  
  
Annie sighed. "Irv, has it ever occurred to you that Rex might not share your love of bugging your parents. You know that's what got us into this mess."  
  
"True," Irv stated, "But I'm kind of glad that we did get into it. I mean, we met Rex, and Zed, and your father and grandfather. You and your mom found out about your unknown pasts. And we've finally been able to be honest with our feelings."  
  
Just then, Kanon came up to them. The young Merc had a look on her face that they couldn't define. Annie immediately knew what was going on though. She had seen that look on her mother's face before. It was the look she gave when there was a battle to fight.  
  
* * *  
  
So the next day, they'd all marched towards Selthon's fort. Once they arrived, Ashley set the explosives that Rainie had given him. After that, they all ran for cover as the bombs blew up and the door to the fortress was opened. Well, blown opened, but it was still no longer an obstacle.  
  
Annie began to lead the way to the receiving chamber. Selthon was waiting there on his throne. When he saw the challengers, he began to laugh.  
  
"Foolish death seekers, do you seriously think that you can best me, the heir to the power of Zeikfried?" he inquired.  
  
Annie yelled, "Of course we do. We will defeat you so you cannot harm anybody else ever again. You're time is long past."  
  
Kanon brandished her knives. "You're the monster whose men killed my mother. You will pay for your evil acts."  
  
"You're mother eh?" Selthon mused, "So you are Rainie's child. My men said that you were dying of your wounds."  
  
"They weren't bad ones.if a person could get himself or herself to a doctor in time. Luckily there was a clinic not to far from where I was injured," Kanon stated.  
  
Selthon screamed, "Well you'll die now then. If you'd just have stayed away from me, I wouldn't know you were the same girl, and would have left you alone for the rest of your pathetic and miserable life. But now you'll have to suffer the same fate as that worthless wretch of a mother of yours."  
  
Kanon seethed with rage over his words. "You have no right to insult my mother. Now you will reap the harvest of your foolishness. Die you monster."  
  
With that, she charged him and used Eagle Claw. Selthon was knocked back into his throne. He stood up to reveal that a wound had opened in his shoulder. Like with Kanon and Annie, the inside of his body was made of a living metal.  
  
"You call that an attack?!" he exclaimed, "I've seen children hit better than that."  
  
"Then try me," called Annie. She too Eagle Clawed him, in the same exact spot as well. The wound opened a little more, but he wasn't out for the count just yet.  
  
Irv and Alley picked up their Bayonets. The twins then shot a blast directly into the opening made by Kanon and Annie. It headed strait for the depths of Selthon's body.  
  
He screamed in pain. Then, the Demon Lord began to self-destruct, like all of his kind did after being killed. As he began to die, Selthon screamed, "You will pay for this. I may die, but you will never leave my fortress alive."  
  
Suddenly, they heard something about to collapse. Annie immediately realized that there was some sort of self-destruct mechanism that Selthon had been holding, perhaps even on his throne. Upon his death, he had pressed the button, hoping to take them all with him. It was just the sort of thing that an evil demon lord would do.  
  
She shot a frantic glare at her friends. "Let's get out of here. If we don't hurry, the castle is going to collapse right on top of us."  
  
They all began to run faster than they'd ever ran in their lives. Annie was again leading the party, since she knew the way the best. Soon, they were all safely outside of the fortress. And not a moment too soon. For right after the last person - - who just happened to be Rex - - was out, it collapsed, trapping all of the Zekians inside.  
  
- - - -  
  
One more chapter left. It'll just tie all of the events together. 


	13. In the End

In the End  
  
About a month after the final battle, everyone is gathered in the Fountain Square in Meria for a concert starring Rex Ryu. Annie, Irv, and Alley had front row seats to the event. Alley had even brought a bouquet of flowers to give to him.  
  
Rex was singing a beautiful love song that he had written after he had met Alley. He'd told her that she had been his inspiration for the ballad, her and her carefree behavior and cheerful nature. The whole audience was going wild over the song, not knowing that it was going out to the daughter of the baker and the former field commander of ARMS.  
  
Irv held Annie's hand in his. They enjoyed it when Rex was singing about love, and it often brought out the more romantic side in Irv that he kept hidden most of the time. She smiled, and placed her head on his shoulder.  
  
When Rex got to the part about meeting by the fountain and admitting true love under the stars, Alley's eyes filled with tears. It reminded her so much of that beautiful night that they had spent in the village of Hiadas. She hoped they could do it again soon.  
  
All too soon the concert had ended. Rex, Zed, and Boomerang were going to stay at Ashley's for the night, as was Kanon and Annie. Then the three of them would go back to Hiadas in the morning, while Kanon and Annie went on another adventure.  
  
* * *  
  
"Annie," Irv began, "Are you sure this is going to be ok?"  
  
"There are no guarantees in life Irv. You either are willing to risk it all on a gamble, or you stay at home thinking about what might have been," Annie replied.  
  
Irv mumbled, "I never should have agreed to go skiing, this mountain is just too steep." Annie sighed. "You didn't have to go on the double-black diamond trail. I've gone before, so I'm up to it. Maybe you should have stuck to the bunny slopes at first."  
  
It had been five years since the battle to defeat the Zeikians. Annie and Irv had just gotten married last week, and were on their honeymoon. But they had to get back in a week, for Alley and Rex were going to have their wedding at that time.  
  
Annie thought back to all that had gone on since that time. A year after the battle, her mother and father had finally gotten married. Annie now had a three-year-old brother named Rudy, and his twin sister Cecilia. Rudy had black hair that he wore framed across his face and red eyes, while Cecilia had silver hair that she was growing long and violet eyes. They had been named for the human princess and Holmcross gunsman who had shown Boomerang what true power meant in the time of the old war. Those same two warriors had later on gotten married, and established the golden age of the kingdom of Adelhyde, which lasted until the Blaze of Disaster.  
  
After her marriage, Kanon no longer went on as many adventures as she used too. Instead, she stayed in the village, helping to fight off the remnants of Selthon's army. Many of them had been on patrol or on a mission when the fortress fell, so they were still causing trouble for Rainie and the rest of the village of Hiadas. When that wasn't going on, she was usually running around after Rudy and Cecilia, who were even more full of energy than Irv and Alley. They were both known for getting stuck in every high structure you could find - - usually trees or someone's attic - - whenever they were hiding from their mother or playing hide-and-seek.  
  
Ashley and Marina were still running the bakery in Meria. They were even more successful than before, on account of the people of Hiadas coming in frequently after hearing about how wonderful the bread there was from Rex.  
  
Over the past five years, Ashley had almost ended his career as a warrior. Granted, he still hunted monsters on occasions, but he usually stayed home with his wife. He was no longer a soldier for the king, instead he became a full time baker.  
  
Both the twins had relaxed on their prankster ways since the battle. They had seen the trouble that their last one had gotten them into - - albeit it had all turned out for the best in the end. Thus, they became almost angelic in their ways. Marina was always wondering when they'd take off the guise, and go back to driving everyone crazy, but Ashley knew what was really going on.  
  
Despite no longer having the will to make trouble, Irv and Alley were still the best of friends. Like most twins, they could tell what one another was thinking, and it usually went along the same lines as the other's thoughts. This was usually a breeding ground for trouble and mishaps, whether they were going for that effect or not.  
  
As for Annie, she continued her adventures once her mother settled down in Hiadas. The life she had lived up until now was still fresh in her mind, and she wasn't ready to let it go just yet. Maybe in a year or two, when she had children of her own.  
  
On her many adventures, Annie managed to come across her mother's hometown. Once there, she found the place completely rebuilt. The people living there had been present on the day of the attack, but like Kanon they had escaped. They were all friendly towards Annie, especially after realizing she was the daughter of "Little Aisha" - - which the villagers still referred to Kanon as.  
  
Annie positioned her skies at the edge of the mountain. She shot a reassuring glance at Irv, to tell him everything was going to be alright. Like she said before, you either risk it all or wonder what might have been. That's the way that life works.  
  
Irv got over to the end of the mountain as well. But he still looked a little nervous over the whole thing. He took a deep breath to ease his mind a little, and then went down the mountain. Annie followed suite, and soon they were yelling and calling out in pure joy and exhilaration.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, another fanfic finished. I would just like to thank the following people. First, to Contrail/Media Vision, for making the game. Second, to the online sites that got me into Wild ARMS in the first place. Third, to all of the artists whose song titles I kind of borrowed to make these chapters. And finally, to the late Marion Zimmer Bradly, as the story that inspired Kanon being half Hiadan came from one of her fantasy anthologies. 


End file.
